Chire, Senbonzakura
by XxFlatlinedxX
Summary: Byakuya Kuchiki was young, not foolish, and in love. He had a wife before he even knew Hisana, this is their story. ByakushiXOC
1. Senbonzakura

_Background on Senbonzakura_

_**Byakuya Kuchiki's zanpakuto is Senbonzakura (A Thousand Cherry Blossoms). Its shikai is triggered by the command "scatter". **_

_**In its shikai, Senbonzakura's blade separates into thousands of slender tiny blades, which then fly away from the hilt. The release can be negated before it completes, such as when Yoruichi wrapped the blade in cloth during Byakuya's short battle with Ichigo. While the blades are too small to see normally, they reflect light in such a way as to appear as cherry blossom petals. Byakuya can control the blades at will, allowing him to shred opponents at a distance and break through almost any defense. While Byakuya can control the blades with his mind alone, using his hands allows him to do so more effectively, making the blades move almost twice as fast. Byakuya's Banka, named Senbonzakura Kageyoshi is essentially a much larger version of Senbonzakura's shikai. To activate it, Byakuya drops his sword. The sword passes through the ground and two rows of giant blades rise up from the ground behind Byakuya or surrounding the enemy. These then scatter into millions of tiny blades. The number of blades is great enough that Byakuya can use them for defense and offense at the same time. He commonly forms them into large masses of blades to crush opponents. Like with his shikai, its attack is triggered with the phrase "scatter". **_

_**Byakuya's bankai has several forms, achieved by arranging the blades in different patterns. They are activated by saying the name of the technique followed by the name of his bankai. Each form presents a different advantage, such as increases offense at the expense of defense. Byakuya's attack form is "scene of a massacre" or "annihilate", which unites the scattered petals into complete swords that form four rows around Byakuya and his opponent. In this form, Byakuya abandons the defense potential of his many blades and concentrates on killing the enemy. While Byakuya can control these swords as he does his regular blades, he usually attacks with just one in hand. He remarks in his battle with Ichigo that he normally only shows senkei to those he has sworn to "kill by his own hand". After immobilizing an opponent, he can call in the other blades to hit them while they're trapped. He can also use all the blades at once for one immensely powerful strike. To overwhelm the defense of an opponent, Byakuya can use "pivotal scene". This aligns every blade in a spherical formation around his opponent, which collapses into them from every possible angle, leaving no blind spots and no chance to escape. Finally, when Byakuya is weakened, he can use "final scene" or "last sight" This condenses every one of his blades into a single sword, drastically increasing its cutting power. The blade appears bright white, earning it the name "white imperial sword" or "white emperor sword". Byakuya also grows pure white wings and a halo-like circle in the back, both made of spiritual power.**_


	2. The History of Raye Shihoin and Byakuya

_The History of Raye Shihoin and Byakuya Kuchiki_

_**Raye Shihoin was born in the year that Byakuya Kuchiki turned five. The initial meeting between the two was when Byakuya took the responsibility of watching the young cousin of Yoruichi Shihoin during a meeting between the two clans. She smiled and laughed and would giggle while pulling Byakuya's hair. He'd grimace and throw annoyed glares at the two year old child. When Byakuya turned nineteen Raye was turning fourteen. At the age of fourteen it would have been proper, and as it was arranged, that Byakuya would and indeed did begin courting her. Byakuya had begun to train with Senbonzakura when Raye got Mirionbaraben, which translates literally into Million White Rose Petals. Raye began to train with Byakuya to enter the Gotei (Court Guard Squads) 13. As they trained a strong relationship formed. Byakuya and Raye had been friends for a very long time of course, since Raye had turned five and Byakuya ten and they had been maturing. **_

_**Raye would follow Byakuya around toddling and jabbering about life in Soul Society. Disdainfully, there would be some days when Byakuya wondered when they would begin her training for being a royal although when it began he regretted ever thinking so lowly of her. For about three years after Raye turned eight Byakuya would only see her at formal clan dinners and when she was seen she was dressed to perfection, utterly silent unless spoken to, extremely stoic, and perfectly polite. In all she was the epitome of what being a Noble in Soul Society meant. **_

_**Her long black hair would have a part of it pinned to the back of her head and her green eyes would be calm. Byakuya missed the spark that was in the young girls eyes and after the first year would sit next to her and try to start conversations. **_

_**Her answers were always quiet, polite, respectful and to the point. She was becoming not Raye Shihoin but Lady Raye. It annoyed Byakuya. When Raye reached her teenage years Byakuya was becoming an adult. He became quite protective of her. As Raye grew older Byakuya decided to keep her close and began to formally court her. He entered Shinigami ranks and without shirking his duties kept a close watch over her. Raye was still five years younger than Byakuya and soon entered the Gotei 13 grew still and closer yet, their relationship reached her Shikai level and seeing as such the command was "Fall to the Wind, Mirionbaraben" to which then her Zanpakuto would answer with separating quite like Byakuya's. **_

_**Most assumed that the reason their swords had such close transformations was because of how close they were. Mirionbaraben then proceeded to follow most of Senbonzakura's movements changing one thing, the petals were of roses instead of cherry blossoms and they were white. Her Bankai was, however, close to that of Senbonzakura with a few exceptions. She did not have to drop the Zanpakuto into the ground; the command became "Arise, Mirionbaraben Shunpo" or "Arise, Million Rose Petal Flash Step." Her Bankai increased her speed drastically, although it was quite good already having been taught by Byakuya and Yoruichi. The sword would then condense into two battle swords leaving petals floating that were other parts of the sword. Then, training with Byakuya she had also acquired a "Last Stance" move with Mirionbaraben which took her another four years of training. The last stance of Mirionbaraben is when the Zanpakuto turns into a long, elegant white/silver blade with a black hilt; the last stance also allows Raye to return to the use of her Shikai form while using the single blade.**_

_**Byakuya had fallen in love with Raye by the time she had achieved the Shikai. **_


	3. Chapter 1: Formality

**Chapter 1: Formality**

_I sat at the table staring blankly at the head of the Kuchiki clan. His grandson Byakuya Kuchiki sat to my life glaring angrily at me. I turned and blinked slowly at him._

_"Excuse us for a moment, grandfather." He grabbed my wrist and dragged me into the hall."What's wrong with you?!"_

_I blinked slowly again and he looked as if he wanted to smack me._

_"Say something!" He begged."What is it you want me to say Byakuya-chan?"_

_"Raye-chan, where are you? Playful, sweet, full of life? You are becoming one of __**them**__!"He had turned fourteen this year and I nine, he and I used to spend every day in the gardens before I began training... Yes... Training to be a noble, a woman a shinigami, and to some day take Aunt Yoruichi's place._

_ "I am growing up Byakuya-chan; you soon will do the same."_

_Byakuya blinked and I turned to go back into the meeting of clans. He followed me quietly. _

_Resuming our places at the table I took up my chopsticks and continued eating. It was true, that Ginrei Kuchiki had just told me of the death of my older brother but as a noble I must keep myself in check. The meeting finished and everyone but Byakuya, Ginrei, and I left the room. I sighed and let my shoulder slump I turned to look at Byakuya my eyes filled with tears. Suddenly, he crushed me to his chest in a hug and I moaned out a sob. _

_"Oh Raye-chan, its okay."_

_"Shiro." _

_He rubbed my back whispering condolences and nodded to something his grandfather said. He attempted to pick me up but proved to not be strong enough._

_ "Here Raye-chan, I'll carry you piggyback."_

_I wrapped my knees around his waist and my arms around his neck. He picked my small body up as I sobbed and shrieked. Byakuya quickly carried me to my room and sat me down on the bed. He filled the empty space next to me and hugged me close. I only rocked back and forth repeating the name of the now deceased male heir to the Shihoin family. _

_Being a Noble was all in Formality._

My eyes shot open. Twenty -six year old Byakuya Kuchiki was next to me, his arm around my waist protectively and his lips at the back of my neck.

Drowsily he opened his eyes. "Raye?"

"Shiro." Was all I said in response before rolling out of bed.

"Shiro?" He repeated. "Your brother?"

"Hai, Shiro-nii-sama.""What are you thinking about?"

"The first night we slept together, on the day when Shiro-nii-sama died."

"You had **that** dream?"

"Hai."

He rubbed my back, "Twelve years today, Raye-chan, and it still hurts us both."

I couldn't reply."Let's get ready for work."

"Alright."

After dressing I brushed out my long black hair and pulled my fuku-taichou badge up my and I walked to the sixth squad.

"Kuchiki-Taichou what is my task today?" Byakuya asked his grandfather as I departed for squad two.

Nobility is nothing but Formality.


	4. Chapter 2: Shiro

**Chapter 2: Shiro**

There were two important things about the seventeenth of October. The first being the day of my birth, upon which I would normally receive a hundred flowers in segments of thirty-three roses, thirty-three cherry blossoms, thirty-three Chinese bell flowers, and one orchid, the second, being the death of Hashiro (Shiro) Shihoin, or to me, Shiro-nii-sama. Every year for the last eleven years I have planted the orchid at the grave of Nii-sama.

Normally, Byakuya goes with me and we say a small prayer.

I sighed and entered Yoruichi-Taichou and my office.

"Good morning Taichou."

"Eh? What's wrong with you today Raye-chan?''

"Hashiro-Nii-sama."

Yoruichi chuckled, "Ah yes, I remember twelve years ago he came in and sighed just like that because he had forgotten to give you your present. He died two hours later after I had him finish his paperwork and sent him home. Shiro-kun was a great man, Raye-chan, and he loved you very much."

"I loved him too, Yoruichi-sama."

"Mm, your mother is with child again you know."

I flinched.I had not spoken to either of my parents since Byakuya and I got married.

I hardly saw them. I wasn't considered a Shihoin anymore although I had married to the elders choice.

I had loved Byakuya for a long time and he had ended up loving me. He was my first choice for marriage, not that I had a choice.

Yoruichi was my wild aunt, though no one would scold her for being so as she was the head of the family. When Shiro first died my parents would not comfort me either being stoic or overwhelmed in their own grief. My aunt took me under her wing. Byakuya kept a closer watch on me and found me digging at Shiro's grave furiously on my tenth birthday. The thing about Byakuya is he never questioned me. He stared blankly a tme for a moment, then sat next to me and helped me dig. There are now ten orchids, a rose bush and a sakura tree at Shiro's grave, Everyday I stop on my way home to water each little plant.

Yoruichi smiled, "You should go see her. I'll go too! I'm sure if you ask Byakushi will go!"

I grimaced slightly the sound of seeing my mother..It wasn't my father as much as it was my mother. She was upset with me for marrying into the Kuchiki clan, he sister after all was Byakuya's mother. My father on the other hand just wanted me to do what was best for the clan. I nodded vaguely at my aunt and worked on my paperwork until lunch time.

"Have a good afternoon Taichou!" I called to her.

She peered out around the corner, "Training?"

"Hai, do you mind?"

"Of course I don't mind! Have fun. Say hi to Byakushi for me! Don't forget to bring up your mother."

"Yes ma'am." I replied.

"Oh and Raye-chan?"

"Hai?"

"Happy Birthday."

"Arigato, Yoruichi-sama."

She nodded at me. I grabbed Mirionbaraben and fled.


	5. Chapter 3: Fall to the Wind

Chapter 3: "Fall To the Wind"

Quietly and quickly I walked to the gardens. I stared up at the cherry blossom trees and suddenly felt very close to my husband. Normally he would be here already training diligently.

I sighed quietly and in a small breath whispered, "Fall to the wind, Mirionbaraben-sensei."

Unlike most shinigami, I believed that our zanpakuto chose us for a reason, chose to teach us.

Around me a million rose petals flew and dance. I smiled softly, "Dance with me sensei?"

I trained using a form of steps used in kidou and man on man combat.

The question presented as "dance with me" was used for the motions, fluidity and what it would look like to an outsider.

Something pink flashed among the array of white and I smiled as I knew I had a dancing partner.

"Byakuya," I murmured. His arms came to my waist his mouth at my neck. "Dance with me?" he purred in my ear.

I nodded and began a dance.

A step to the right and a pivot to face him. We began to waltz..

Senbonzakura and Mirionbaraben danced around us. We were swift, agile, perfect.

We let both swords drop and return to their bound form.

I smiled and laced fingers with Byakuya. He returned my smile. We didn't have to say what today meant of how we felt towards each other at this moment to know. We picked up the traditional orchid at the manor and walked somberly to Shiro's grave. I kneeled and said a small prayer as I began to dig the eleventh hole.

The orchids were a plethora of colors. This year's was white. As I continued to dig Byakuya watered all of the other plants.

Byakuya and I left. Dinner was ready when we arrived home. We ate quietly. I stretched and moved from my seat to Byakuya's side. I kissed his cheek, "Good night Byakuya."

"You're going to bed?"

"Hai, are you coming?"

"I should be in soon, I only have a little paperwork to finish."

"Okay."

I dressed down and lay Mirionbaraben down and crawled into bed.

A while later I woke up. Byakuya was not by my side. I sighed and got up. As I exited the room I felt a strange reiatsu.

Something smooth and sharp pressed against my throat. Curses, I'd left my zanpakuto behind.

I opened my mouth to use a kidou. "Don't speak. If you value your life you'll lead me to your husband."

I shoull my head and felt slight amounts of blood slide down my neck.

"You will." The strange person pressed the knife tighter to my neck.

"No." I would not be the end of Byakuya.

"Why?"

"I will not be his downfall."

"And what about your child? Yourself? You would take two lives instead of one?"

"I have no child."

"So you think."

"What do you mean?"

"Have you been putting on weight lately?"

I almost gasped.

Someone else knew our secret.


End file.
